John 21:20-25
20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
Reflection
Peter had just been told to expect a death similar to the one his Savior experienced, but his thoughts immediately shifted to John. A fully restored Peter is not a fully transformed Peter. How easy it is for us to become distracted and envious of one another’s callings. But the Good Shepherd, who knows us by name, leads us as he pleases. Jesus gives us saving grace and he also gives us serving grace so that we have strength to follow him wherever he leads us.
1 Peter 3:1-7
3: Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
Reflection
Peter now focuses on the duties of gospel-believers in their immediate “society”— their home. As Christians ought to trust God enough to honor legal authority, Christian wives ought to trust God enough to honor their husbands’ authority (1 Pet. 3:1–2). Peter is essentially telling wives of unbelieving husbands that faith without works is dead (James 2:17), and that constant “God-talk” without abundant godly action is likely to have a negative effect on the marriage (cf. Prov. 21:19; 25:24).
The godly womanhood that Peter is calling for must flow from the heart. The teaching in 1 Peter 3:3–4 is not so much a prohibition of hairdos and jewelry as it is a prohibition of superficial vanity —a problem in Peter’s day and in ours as well. Women are constantly being bombarded with worldly ideals relating to beauty and identity. But while our human drives tend to fixate on appearances, God’s chief concern is the quality of our hearts (1 Sam. 16:7). The gospel works from the inside out, resulting in humility, modesty, and submission that flow from a heart captivated by Christ. Of course, the humble submission commanded of wives is partnered with a command for husbands to exercise humble and gentle authority (1 Pet. 3:7). A husband’s leadership of his wife is meant to be a picture of Christ’s sacrificial lordship over us, driven by selfless love, full of grace, and aimed squarely at providing benefit and joy to another. Christ himself, the eternal Lord of the universe, is “gentle and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:29). Christian husbands are called to this same heart, and they will find their prayers hindered if they do not embrace it (1 Pet. 3:7).
Psalm 73:24
24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Every Christian has a unique role to play in God’s story. Rather than being envious of someone else’s calling, pray that God would help you to embrace and become all that he intends for you to be.